I am saddened to hear of the death of Willy Burgdorfer.
Dr. Willy Burgdorfer Talks About Lyme Disease and Scientific & Medical Corruption
The above video is an extract from Under Our Skin documentary.
Dr Burgdorfer says -'The controversy in Lyme disease research is a shameful affair. And I say that because the whole thing is politically tainted. Money goes to people who have, for the past 30 years, produced the same thing—nothing.Serology has to be started from scratch with people who don’t know beforehand the results of their research. There are lots of physicians around who wouldn’t touch a Lyme disease patient. They tell the nurse, “You tell the guy to get out of here. I don’t want to see him.” That is shameful. So [this] shame includes physicians who don’t even have the courage to tell a patient, “You have Lyme disease and I don’t know anything about it.” link to full interview
Details of the documentary and the Sequel
Further information will be found through
Willy Burgdorfer was Keynote speaker at 12th International Conference on Lyme Disease and Other Spirochetal and Tick-Borne Disorders, April 9, 1999.
link to pdf http://lymerick.net/1999-Burgdorfer-keynote.pdf
Even then in 1999 he says 'Using silver impregnations and immunochemical staining, cystic material has been demonstrated in every animal and human tissue infected by B burgdorferi. As yet, it is not known whether these forms of Borrelia represent products of degenerated spirochetes or of surviving organisms capable of transforming to typical spirochetes once the favorable environmental conditions are restored. It is tempting to speculate, however, that the survival mechanism of spirochetes is responsible for the diverse pathology of these organisms as well as for their ability to survive as cystic forms thereby producing prolonged, chronic and periodically recurrent disease.'
Research has developed even further since that presentation as can be seen in earlier posts on this blog about research into persistence of Borrelia.
Although the media will no doubt widely publish about the important legacy Willy gave to the World in identifying the borrelia spirochete as the cause of Lyme Disease, I post the above because it is unlikely that the media will fully report on the extent that Willy Burgdorfer supported the Lyme community in their fight for better serology and better treatment for those with persistent symptoms or Chronic Late stage Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease Action have summarized Willy Burgdorfer's work
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/latest-news/willy-burgdorfer-1932-2014/
Lyme Disease Action have summarized Willy Burgdorfer's work
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/latest-news/willy-burgdorfer-1932-2014/